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Is Shopify actually free?
How these scores work
No. Shopify's free trial lasts 3 days — sometimes extended to a promotional $1/month for 3 months — and requires a card to continue. There is no permanent free tier for a live store.
Use this instead — actually free
Shopify plans start at ~$39/month; the trial gives you a few days of that free.
What you get free
- A 3-day trial to build a store (card required)
- Promotional $1/month periods appear regularly
In practice: a 3-day sandbox to see if Shopify fits — not a free store. The $1 promotional months, when available, are the real evaluation window.
Drawbacks
- 3 days is barely enough to evaluate the platform
- Card required from day one
- The $1/month promotional period still auto-converts to full price
Also paywalled
- A live, customer-facing store (requires paid plan)
- Payment processing, shipping, and inventory
- Apps and themes beyond the basics
What the free tier actually gives you
| Card required | Yes |
| Free plan or trial | Trial only |
| Their branding | No |
| Export your work | Limited |
| Commercial use | Paid only |
| Time limit | Trial clock |
Same questions, same order, for every listing in Business — so you can compare them side by side. Deliberately no exact allowances: those change monthly, the shape of the limit doesn't.
Free facts
| Verdict | Trap Trial |
| Card required | Yes |
| Auto-bills | Yes |
| Account | Required |
| Limits | 3-day free trial (sometimes extended to 30 days at $1/month) |
| The real cost | Auto-converts to a paid subscription starting at ~$39/month. |
The catch
The trial is genuinely useful for building and testing a store, but publishing it to customers requires a paid plan. The entry price (~$39/month) makes this one of the higher commitment points in e-commerce.
The smart play
- Build your entire store during the trial — uploading products takes the most time
- If you see the $1/month offer, take it — it's the actual trial Shopify should offer by default
- Calendar the end date of any promotional pricing — the jump to full price is steep
- Compare with free alternatives: WooCommerce on WordPress is free software, you just pay for hosting
Common questions
Does Shopify require a credit card?
What are the limits of Shopify's free plan?
What is a free alternative to Shopify?
How do I use Shopify without paying?
What does Shopify really cost?
Why is Shopify free?
Is Shopify still free?
More info — tap to expand
Why no free tier?
Last checked: August 2026site-wide date · Verdict: Trap Trial — card up front. it bills you automatically unless you cancel in time.
What users actually say
G2 4.4/5 from business users · Trustpilot 1.6/5 from consumers · Google Play 4.2/5.
Nothing here is free beyond the trial, and the plan price is the smallest part of the real number. Budget for the apps before you budget for the plan — that's where the surprise lives.
Our reading of the public review record — patterns, not quotes. Scores link to their sources above.